Tagged: Tim Wakefield

To say it’s nice to have left Anaheim is a gross understatement. However, heading to Oakland from there wouldn’t be my first choice if I had a say in it. As I have stated before, the A’s are going to win the West. I’m certain of that. Well, as certain as anyone can be. I think this team is going to get it done.

Games 7, 8 & 9 – Oakland Coliseum – April 13, 14 & 15– Red Sox vs A’s

Game 1 of the Series: L ~ 2 – 8

These 10:00 p.m. west coast games will kill ya. Yea, especially when there’s a thrashing involved. Sure being devoted sure takes its toll.

The Red Sox continued their slide as Jon Lester suffered through another rough outing, one painfully similar to his previous one. In his second start, Lester came away after six responsible for six runs and 10 hits, most of which came in the 5-run second.

This was a reuniting of sorts for a few ex-Red Sox players. We got to see OC at short and Nomar at third, who decided he’d show off in Nomar-style with a homer in the fifth.

Youk hit a solo home run in the second, but as usual it wasn’t enough to get the offense rolling for the Red Sox. One thing I can say is that as much as I like J.D. Drew, they’ve got to do some serious rethinking about where he’s falling in the line-up. Last year it was Tek we could depend on to get the last out, this year it’s J.D.

One last thing: We have Nick Green at Short. We’re now relying on a triple-A’er to handle the job full-time. Jed Lowrie was put on the 15-day DL for wrist sprain. This sprain came when the switch-hitter is going 1-15. Is this another trip to the DL because we’re not hitting, or is this a serious matter? Maybe we’ll never know. Hopefully this is just a case of identifying our needs early in the season. Oh, wait. Didn’t we have these needs in Spring Training? My bad.

Game 2 of the Series: L ~ 5 – 6

Can’t win for trying.

Dice K takes the mound and leaves after one inning and 43 pitches, surrendering five runs. Uggh. I think it’s fair to say that his arm fatigue may have come from the WBC. It sure isn’t because of the long, enduring season the Red Sox have had so far.

Then, the game goes on for 12 innings, a total of 4 hours and 23 minutes. Yes, I did stay up. Yes, I am sorry I did. Thank God for the caffeine in all the Easter candy I ate. I would have never been able to otherwise. Worst part of it is it wasn’t worth it. With bases loaded and two outs, A’s right-fielder Travis Buck helps out the A’s with their first walk-off win of the season. More Uggh. We exhaust our bullpen. Afterall, they had to cover 11 innings.

Bad game overall. Yea, sometimes I am a sore loser. Only good thing that came out of this game is that the inconsistant J.D. Drew got three hits.

Game 3 of the Series: W ~ 8 – 2

We all know, Wake is either on or off. Today he’s ON, big-time! Luckily because we were on our way to a three-game sweep at the hands of the A’s but worse yet, it would have been six out of the last seven games in the loss column.

Tim Wakefield, our veteran knuckleballer, one of only a few players left of our coveted 2004 World Series Championship team, almost tosses a no-no at 42- years old.

Luckily it was a day game because if it was another 10:00 p.m. game, there was no way I was staying up for this one. I didn’t watch this one, I listened to it on the radio. The sound of Joe Castiglione’s Red Sox voice was the perfect way to enjoy this one.

Also, lucky for us, Wake was willing and able to do what he had to here because our bullpen surely needed the rest. Who would’a thunk? The guy pitches the entire game and comes within five outs of his first career no hitter. Not to mention, we win it. “Can you believe it!”

And, beyond popular belief: yes, our boys do have some pop left in their bats. Home runs by Mike Lowell and J.D. Drew.

Phew….time to go home to Boston. This is a road trip I’d like to forget real soon.